Two Women

Two women making and writing history are the subjects of our two profiles this week.

From Honolulu, Dr. Belinda "Lindy" Aquino, founder of the University of Hawaii's Philippine Studies Program and author/esteemed professor/historian/activist, is profiled by Pepi Nieva in "Stranded in Paradise: How Lindy Aquino Became Hawaii’s Foremost Authority on the Philippines."

From London, Candy Gourlay, the critically acclaimed author of Bone Talk and the children's book, Is It A Mermaid?, is interviewed by UK-based writer Joy Watford in a piece titled "In Her Own Write."

And this being Women's Month, let's honor two women who had captured the nation's hearts through their music, their acting and their presence in the public eye. 

Read Again: 

Film critic Mauro Feria Tumbucon Jr.'s affectionate tribute to the one and only superstar, "The Timeless Nora Aunor." 

And a granddaughter shows her love for her beloved grandmother, Armida Siguion-Reyna of "Aawitan Kita" fame,  who recently passed away.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe is a sure favorite -- Paksiw na Bangus.

Here are our In The Know links this week: 

How ISIS Is Rising in the Philippines as It Dwindles in the Middle East
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/09/world/asia/isis-philippines-jolo.html

'They fooled us': the men who left ISIS in the Philippines
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/09/they-fooled-us-the-men-who-left-isis-in-the-philippines?fbclid=IwAR0S1JOGP0McJhkAiu6ftGVUkIjwLxO7N6x_M06VfVU3aogvnTvfIFGypfU

Get to know the women National Artists and Scientists
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/87875-women-national-artists-scientists?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0fnYYPYcAsKjHKcqzeW1U6HXvKCQRISezxxWca0t2svyW2KxKaeTDsTSA#Echobox=1552007205

40 poorest provinces in the Philippines 
http://onemediaph.com/40-poorest-provinces-in-the-philippines/?fbclid=IwAR1TqpzJPJKnS5tWvTbooleE6h70L7gPZmTDhxuNubwbmyGHBsLIvTj00Fc

Job Very Well Done: Philippine Airlines (A350-900) in Business Class From Manila to JFK
https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/philippine-airlines-a350-business-class/?fbclid=IwAR3K4zgRPjv00Ai1eIA61oFF76yF7ySVPci34ASPJJiKmJ1_5qo3ObV3Z20

For our Video of the Week, we feature the cultural preservation project called “Documenting and Preserving Mangyan Scripts in the 21st Century”

Meet the Alaskeros

They call themselves Alaskeros, Filipinos who are seasonal workers in the fish canneries of Alaska. In his youth, author/poet/beloved teacher Oscar Peñaranda was one of them, but he did something more than scaling and slicing salmon. He chronicled in vivid detail the grit, the color, the toughness and of course the joy of being an Alaskero, a job or a circumstance that lends itself to a lot of riveting stories. Here, in "Pieces of the (Midnight) Sun: Sketches of An Alaskero" are those stories, with some name changes for privacy. 

What is a Poet Laureate and what does she have to do? Apparently plenty, as Filipino American poet Aileen Cassinetto describes her day. She was chosen by the San Mateo County (California) Board of Supervisors as its third Poet Laureate, the first Asian American to be thus honored. In addition to telling us what her mandate is, Aileen shares the poem she wrote and read before the county board's first meeting this year. 

This week, we join our homeland in mourning the passing and celebrating the life of Armida Siguion-Reyna, TV personality and cultural activist, who long-lasting TV show, "Aawitan Kita," preserved the legacy of Filipino music, particularly the kundiman. Read Again the profile written by her granddaughter, Sara Siguion-Reyna, "We Call Her Mahal."  

To add flavor to your Valentine's Day, how's about baking some Meringue Cookies with Toffee, a recipe from PF Correspondent and cookbook author Elizabeth Ann Quirino for the Happy Home Cook. 

And here's a Read Again that should make you appreciate better your unencumbered Valentine's Day: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/when-hilario-met-sally-the-fight-against-anti-miscegenation-laws 

Here are our In The Know links for your reading pleasure:

Journalists, institutions decry 'absurd legal attack' against Rappler
https://www.rappler.com/nation/222921-journalists-institutions-decry-absurd-legal-attack-against-rappler?fbclid=IwAR10bwPmbR03zPzJFTXBM4AkKlke0sxwSOKlrq3TJoVs-BRXx_E0rll7f4Y

History of New Manila & Doña Magdalena Hemady
https://lakansining.wordpress.com/2019/02/06/quezon-city-the-history-of-new-manila-dona-magdalena-hemady/?fbclid=IwAR2xfo8QBIsxQJ2KRBP0oOorhqOLix9fWXSPY9b99JHL50PPlSInGFO8QJA

This place in Metro Manila takes you on a gripping Martial Law tour
https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/travel/ph-travel/146918-martial-law-tour-bantayog-ng-mga-bayani?fbclid=IwAR0iZ9vTP-Ms_cKMJynrFQIZZpOJDSSX6MW72WzYAph7VLxbistXjuq_LNQ

'Comfort women' activist, dead at 92, fought for reparations 'until the end'
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/comfort-women-activist-dead-92-fought-reparations-until-end-n964936?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_aa&fbclid=IwAR10bwPmbR03zPzJFTXBM4AkKlke0sxwSOKlrq3TJoVs-BRXx_E0rll7f4Y

For Video of the Week, educator Dr. Carl E. Balita posted an informational video on facebook on the importance of the Philippines to the world.

Yes, Women Can

We join the entire world in celebrating Women's History Month 2018, well aware that through persistence and unity, women are making their voices heard loud and clear against their oppressors. We will be featuring stories of Filipino women who have made their mark in various fields, among them Armida Siguion-Reyna, whose long-running TV show Aawitan Kita kept the kundiman tradition alive through the generations. Armida isn't just an entertainer; during her heyday, she was also a feisty cultural activist, a producer of shows, and most of all, a doting mother and grandmother to her brood. In "We Call Her Mahal," Sara Siguion-Reyna writes lovingly about her beloved grandma.

PF publisher Mona Lisa Yuchengco recalls a visit to the small town of Amagi in the Tokunoshima island in Japan and tells of the historic role Filipino women played in keeping the town alive.

For my blog this month, I focus on the poet Angela Manalang-Gloria, one of the leading lights of early Philippine literature in English, whose famous poem "Soledad" captivated me when I was younger, and titillates my imagination to this day.  

It's official, folks. And it has been official since it was enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution: the national language of the Philippines is Filipino, not Pilipino. How did the F win out? Poet/translator and language expert Marne Kilates gives us the backstory on how the F, along with C, J, Ñ, Q, V, and Z have now been added to the previously 20-letter Filipino alphabet.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe this week comes from graphic artist/writer Alex G. Paman who just came out with his second book, Filipino Barbecue. Enjoy Alex's version of Chicken Inasal.

Here's the In The Know line-up:

The 19 Best Filipino Restaurants in Los Angeles, 2018 Edition
https://la.eater.com/maps/best-filipino-restaurants-los-angeles-adobo-lumpia

Oscars 2018: Robert Lopez becomes the first person in history to double EGOT
http://ew.com/awards/2018/03/05/oscars-2018-robert-lopez-double-egot/

Rita Moreno wears the same Pitoy Moreno dress she wore to Oscars in 1962
https://www.today.com/style/rita-moreno-wears-same-dress-oscars-she-wore-1962-ceremony-t124430

To design costumes for 'Black Panther,' this artist drew on his Filipino upbringing
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/design-costumes-black-panther-artist-drew-his-filipino-upbringing-n852856

For Video of the Week, CNN Philippines The Story of the Filipino looks into lives of 3 women: Aya Fernandez (founder and head of Project Lily PH), Cha Roque (a filmmaker and Dakila Communications Director) and Kelsey Hadjirul (a young LGBT and Women's Rights Activist).